DEMARLE INC

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Health and Healthy Living

Building Healthy Brains

The Brain Facts Book

6/13/18

Access Brain Facts, a primer on the brain and nervous system, published by the Society for Neuroscience. Brain Facts is a valuable resource for secondary school teachers and students who participate in the Brain Bee.

NASAT reports that "The quality of the neighborhood where a child grows up has a significant impact on the number of problem behaviors they display during elementary and teenage years, a study led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers suggests. The findings, published in the November issue of Social Science & Medicine, indicate that neighborhood quality has significant and long-term effects on child and adolescent problem behaviors, findings that can help inform national, state, and local housing policy and community investment decisions."

Information on brain development

New Research: Childhood Music Lessons Have Neural Benefit Decades Later

12/1/13

New research shows brain benefits from early music lessons decades later. Results of this study showed that the subjects in the study who had had
early music training (between 4 to 14 years of music training early in life), had a faster neurologic response to the targeted speech sound, on the order of about
1 millisecond. This was despite the fact that many subjects in the study had not played an instrument in nearly 40 years. In reviewing the study,, Medscape
reports that "Commenting on these findings in a press release issued by the Journal of Neuroscience, Michael Kilgard, PhD,
who studies how the brain processes sound at the University of Texas at Dallas and was not involved in this study, said, "Being a
millisecond faster may not seem like much, but the brain is very sensitive to timing and a millisecond compounded over millions of
neurons can make a real difference in the lives of older adults." "These findings confirm that the investments that we make in our brains early in life
continue to pay dividends years later," Dr. Kilgard added."

Blueberry Juice

Recent research has shown that the first evidence from human research that daily consumption of blueberry juice improves memory.
Blueberries are one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals.
In this study the research had one group of individuals in their 70s with early memory decline drink the equivalent of 2-2 l/2 cups of a commercially available blueberry juice every day for two months. A second
control group drank a beverage without blueberry juice. The individuals drinking blueberry juice group showed significant improvement on learning
and memory tests. This is a preliminary study with a very small sample group. Additional research is needed to replicate and expand the
findings from this very small studyClick this link to read the article

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Brain Training Programs

So you're thinking about train-the-brain therapies?

7/13/01

A nice review of the positives and negatives of brain-training therapies.

Brain Fitness Training Improves Memory in Seniors

9/4/11

New research has shown that older adults who participated in a brain training program and who also received "health education
on the value of a diet rich in antioxidants, the importance of daily physical exercise and stress reduction" improved
in their self-perceived memory, which the study authors note is an important factor in maintaining a positive outlook on life.

Breast Feeding

Premature infants may get metabolic boost from mother's breast milk

10/19/17

NASAT reports that "The breast milk of mothers with premature babies has different amounts of microRNA than that of mothers with babies born at term, which may help premature babies catch up in growth and development, according to researchers. In a study, researchers compared the breast milk of mothers with babies born prematurely -- between 28 and 37 weeks gestation -- and at term -- after 38 weeks. They examined whether there were differences in the composition of the breast milks' microRNAs, snippets of RNA that affect gene expression and can be passed to the infant. "We found that there are differences in these microRNA profiles, and that the majority of the altered microRNAs influence metabolism," said Molly Carney, medical student in the Penn State College of Medicine. "If those microRNAs are being transferred to the infant, that could potentially impact how the newborn processes energy and nutrients"

Breastfeeding protects against Diabetes

12/7/15

New Research shows that "New evidence has emerged on the role that breastfeeding could have in preventing diabetes. Early results from a Canadian study suggest that breastfeeding reduces the risk of mothers and their offspring developing the condition."

Breastfeeding lowers risk for Childhood Leukemia

6/5/15

New Research shows that "Breast-feeding for at least 6 months was associated with a lower risk for childhood leukemia compared with breast-feeding for a short time or not at all, according to an article published online June 1 in JAMA Pediatrics. Leukemia accounts for about 30% of all childhood cancers, but its causes are poorly understood. Incidence increased from 1975 through 2011 at a rate of about 0.7% per year."

Breastfeeding linked to higher intelligence and educational attainment and income at 30 years of age

3/22/15

New Research shows that "Breastfeeding is associated with improved performance in intelligence tests 30 years later, and might have an important effect in real life, by increasing educational attainment and income in adulthood."

Working Moms have new breastfeeding rights under the Afordable Care Act

8/9/14

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers must provide time and space for new mothers to express milk for their babies until the child
turns one year old. "This is a terrific opportunity to show businesses that lactation is important and that women should be accorded the right
to provide milk for their babies," said Dr. Richard J. Schanler, director of neonatal services at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York
in New Hyde Park. This requirement has been "sort of on the books for a while," Schanler told Reuters Health, but the ACA provision makes the
rule concrete.

New Research: Longer Breastfeeding tied to better development

12/29/13

Children who were breastfed for more than six months scored the highest on cognitive, language and motor development tests
as toddlers, in a new study from Greece. Medscape notes that "Most evidence "pretty clearly shows there are significant medical
benefits of breast-feeding," Dr. Dimitri Christakis told Reuters Health in an email. Christakis, who directs the Center
for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute, was not involved in the new study."

New Research: New Clinical Report on Drugs and Breast Feeding

11/30/13

Many breastfeeding women are advised to stop taking necessary medications or to discontinue nursing because of potential harmful effects on their infants.
The reality is that few medications are contraindicated in breastfeeding mothers. This new report reviews the literature and finds that most drugs do not need
to be stopped during breast feeding.

Breast Fed Babies are smarter at 14 months

9/23/11

A new study finds that babies who are primarily breast fed during the first year of life have higher cognitive
scores at 14 months of life. The researchers believe the higher rates of Omega 3s and 6s in breast milk may
be the reason for the difference.

Breast Fed Babies have few behavioral problems as children

5/13/11

A new recent study finds that breast feeding leads to few behavioral problems in children. The authors speculate that this
may be due to the fact that bread feed children receive more essential fatty acids through breast milk.

Early Intervention

Proximity to Books and Adult Support Enhance Children's Learning Opportunities

5/22/18

An innovative book distribution program that provides free children's books in low-income neighborhoods, combined with supportive adults who encourage reading, can boost children's literacy and learning opportunities, finds a new study by NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. "Both physical and psychological proximity to books matter when it comes to children's early literacy skills," said Susan B. Neuman, professor of childhood and literacy education at NYU Steinhardt and the study's lead author. "Children need access to books in their neighborhoods, as well as adults who create an environment that inspires reading."

Children with greater parent communication in early adolescence have less harmful alcohol use and emotional eating in young adulthood, according to a new study in Biological Psychiatry. The 14-year study, which followed participants from 11 to 25 years old, identified that the extent of communication between parents and children promotes the development of a brain network involved in the processing of rewards and other stimuli that, in turn, protects against the overconsumption of food, alcohol and drugs. In this way, robust parent-child communication has an impact on health behaviors in adulthood. "It might mean that social interactions actually influence the wiring patterns of the brain in the teenage years," said John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "It points to an important potential role of family interactions in brain development and the emergence of maladaptive behaviors in adulthood," he added.

Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive

11/16/14

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! is a coordinated federal effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them. The Website provides a wealth of information and a number of downloadable pdfs.

The Compendium of Screening Measures for Young Children (PDF) is a collection of research-based screening tools for children under the age of 5. Practitioners in early care and education, primary health care, child welfare, and mental health can use this reference to learn cost, administration time, quality level, training required, and age range covered for each screening tool.

Exercise

How a growing number of states are hoping to improve kids’ brains: exercise

3/27/18

NASAT reports that "Middle school students at Kaleidoscope Academy, a district charter school in Appleton, Wisconsin, are constantly moving. Everyone has a physical education class, called "phy-ed" here, at least twice a week. On top of that, there's a daily lunch break that comes with time for kids to get outside and move around. Students can also choose from two additional exercise-focused electives - dance and personal fitness - which for some students can mean a 40-minute exercise period every day. And the action doesn't stop there. Teachers like Lisa Sackman in the sixth-grade wing offer "brain breaks" every 20 minutes. Teacher Travis Olsen has an exercise bike in the back of his seventh-grade science classroom that kids are welcome to use whenever they feel the need. And eighth-grade co-teachers Abby Jolma and Toni Giebel let kids sit on wobbly chairs - short stools with a curved base - yoga balls, or traditional chairs while they learn math and science. "

Exercising at Own Pace Boosts a Child's Ability to Learn

1/7/18

NASAT reports that "A child's attention and memory improves after exercise according to new research conducted with primary school pupils and supported by the Universities of Stirling and Edinburgh. Researchers found that pupils' best responses to tests came after physical activity that was set at their own pace, as opposed to exhaustive exercise. The study is part of the BBC Learning's Terrific Scientific campaign -- designed to inspire schoolchildren to pursue a career in science -- and part-funded by the University of Edinburgh and the Physiological Society. In the sixth investigation of the series, more than 11,000 school pupils across the UK conducted a scientific investigation to discover the impact of taking a short break from the classroom to complete a physical activity on their mood and cognitive abilities."

Brains of children with a better physical fitness possess a greater volume of gray matter

12/20/17

NASAT reports that "Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) have proven, for the first time in history, that physical fitness in children may affect their brain structure, which in turn may have an influence on their academic performance. More specifically, the researchers have confirmed that physical fitness in children (especially aerobic capacity and motor ability) is associated with a greater volume of gray matter in several cortical and subcortical brain regions. In particular, aerobic capacity has been associated with greater gray matter volume in frontal regions (premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex), subcortical regions (hippocampus and caudate nucleus), temporal regions (inferior temporal gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus) and the calcarine cortex. All of those regions are important for the executive function as well as for learning, motor and visual processes."

Report 88 percent of area youth don't meet activity marks

6/30/17

Leo Roth, Democrat and Chronicle staff writer reports that "Jenny Thomas, a resident of Rochester’s19th Ward and mother of five, has always encouraged her children to be physically active. From organized team sports to riding bikes to hiking on camping trips to jumping on the trampoline in their backyard, the Thomas kids are on the go. Their mom doesn’t need to read the mountain of scientific studies that show an active body means an active mind."

Veterans Health Administration: Be Physically Active

3/31/17

Avoid inactivity. Some activity is better than none. Aim for at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Every 10 minute session counts. Do strengthening activities at least 2 days each week.

NIH Physical Activity and Cancer

2/24/17

"There is substantial evidence that higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risks of several cancers"

Physically Active Children are Less Depressed

2/7/17

NASAT reports that "Previous studies have shown that adults and young people who are physically active have a lower risk of developing depression. But the same effect has not been studied in children -- until now. Results from a new study are showing that children receive the same beneficial effect from being active. We're talking about moderate to vigorous physical activity that leaves kids sweaty or out of breath. Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and NTNU Social Research have followed hundreds of children over four years to see if they could find a correlation between physical activity and symptoms of depression"

Exercise can help adults better cope with ADHD symptoms

2/10/17

Exercise, even a small amount, can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD in adults, according to a recent study by University of Georgia researchers. The study, released in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found a single bout of exercise has psychological benefits for adults with these elevated ADHD symptoms. About 6 percent of American adults report symptoms consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, which lead to anxiety, depression, low energy and motivation, poor performance at work or school and also increased traffic accidents.

Exercise May Cut Behavior Issues In Half

1/10/17

Disabilityscoop reports that "Researchers say there may be a simple way to reduce challenging behaviors among those with autism and similar disorders during the school day — add in some exercise. A new study looking at the impact of structured, aerobic exercise in kids on the spectrum and those with other behavioral disorders found that youngsters who participated in “cybercycling” at school as opposed to traditional physical education classes were far less likely to act out."

Physical Activity and Preventing Depression in Children

1/5/17

Medscape reports that "Children who get more exercise may have fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who are less active, a recent study suggests. Researchers used activity trackers to see how much physical activity children got, then interviewed kids and their parents to assess whether kids had symptoms of depression. When kids got more moderate to vigorous physical activity at ages 6 and 8, they were less likely to have symptoms of major depressive disorder two years later, the study found."

NY Times "the Right Dose of Exercise for a longer life"

Walking Groups are a safe way to improve health

1/21/15

A study published in the journal in the British Journal of Sports Medicne shows that People can lower their blood pressure, resting heart rate, body fat, weight and total cholesterol by joining outdoor walking groups.

Exercise Boosts Kids' Cognitive Performance, Brain Function

10/2/14

Medscape reports that "Moderate to vigorous physical exercise may increase children's cognitive performance and brain function, new research shows. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 221 prepubertal children showed that those who participated in a structured afterschool exercise program for 9 months experienced improved executive function, including cognitive flexibility, compared with their counterparts who did not participate in the program."

The Exercise Effect on attention, mood, and anxiety

10/1/14

The American Psychological Association reports that "Evidence is mounting for the benefits of exercise, yet psychologists don’t often use exercise as part of their treatment arsenal. Here’s more research on why they should."

Walking, biking to work seems to have mental health benefits

9/16/14

"Daily commuters who stopping driving to work and started walking or riding a bike were under less stress and were able to concentrate better, the
study showed. And the authors noted that using public transportation also resulted in an improvement in commuters' psychological well-being."

From Science Friday: Exercise the miracle cure

12/1/13

From NPR "Sports medicine doctor Jordan Metzl says he's found a miracle drug that prevents almost every illness, is 100
percent effective, and has very few side effects: exercise. In his new book The Exercise Cure, he prescribes specific cardio
and strength training regimens to treat everything from depression and stress to heart disease and diabetes."

New Research: Playing in the Grass may ease ADHD

9/5/12

My patients know that I strongly encourage regular exercise and Vitamin D (from sunlight). Many of my patients are
what we call "summer kids", meaning that over the summer, they are happier, less anxious, and more up in their moods.
The combination of exercise, sunlight (vitamin D), and fresh air does wonders. This study from last year shows a
similar effect for children with ADHD.

Exercise grows the brain

Exercise and Positive environments help protect against mood problems

11/23/10

Is it possible that exercise or other positive changes to our environment can help build up resistance to stress-induced depression? Dr. Michael Lehmann is with a team of National Institute of Mental Health scientists investigating how our brains process the connection between a positive environment and fighting off depression.

Exercise helps grow new brain cells and moderates depression

11/23/10

A recent study has found that exercise helps grow new brain cells and that exercise helps moderate depression.
This mouse study exposed mice to a toxic environment (bullying) that lead to depressive behavior. When these mice were then placed in an enriched
environment and allowed to exercise their moods and behavior improved in part due to new brain growth. Mice that were placed in the same enriched environment
but were genetically modified to not be able to grow new brain cells did not show an improvement in their mood or behavior.

The authors of the study "point out that in humans, physical exercise and positive psychosocial activity have beneficial effects on depression and stress resilience. Forms of entertainment that encourage mental activity, according to Lehmann, such as reading, video games, exercise and outdoor recreation could have longer lasting changes for many suffering from mild depressive symptoms than pharmacologic treatment, without the accompanying side effects."

Family Structure

Digital Devices During Family Time Could Exacerbate Bad Behavior

7/8/18

Parents who spend a lot of time on their phones or watching television during family activities such as meals, playtime, and bedtime could influence their long-term relationships with their children. This is according to Brandon T. McDaniel of Illinois State University and Jenny S. Radesky of the University of Michigan Medical School, both in the US, who say so called "technoference" can lead children to show more frustration, hyperactivity, whining, sulking or tantrums. The study in the journal Pediatric Research, which is published by Springer Nature, examines the role and impact digital devices play in parenting and child behavior. Technoference is defined as everyday interruptions in face-to-face interactions because of technology devices. Recent studies estimate that parents use television, computers, tablets and smartphones for nine hours per day on average. A third of this time is spent on smartphones, which due to their portability are often used during family activities such as meals, playtime, and bedtime -- all important times involved in shaping a child's social-emotional wellbeing.

New research shows a link between parents who monitor their children's media consumption and their children's body mass index. Specifically, children whose mothers pay close attention to how much time they spend watching TV and playing video games tend to weigh less.

Children with family routines more emotionally and socially advanced

3/15/14

New research shows that children who engage in family routines with their families tend to be emotionally healthier and better
adjusted socially than children who do not have such routines. Researchers examined how often children participated in five family
routines: having dinner as a family at least five times a week; reading, storytelling or singing at least three times a week; and
playing at least a few times a week. The researchers found that only 11% of the children who had no family routines had high social-emotional
health, compared with 25% of those whose families engaged in all five routines.

Healthy Homes

Flame retardant chemicals may affect social behavior in young children

3/18/17

"Some chemicals added to furniture, electronics and numerous other goods to prevent fires may have unintended developmental consequences for young children, according to a pilot study released today. Researchers from Oregon State University found a significant relationship between social behaviors among children and their exposure to widely used flame retardants, said Molly Kile, an environmental epidemiologist and associate professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at OSU. "When we analyzed behavior assessments and exposure levels, we observed that the children who had more exposure to certain types of the flame retardant were more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors such as aggression, defiance, hyperactivity, inattention and bullying," said Kile, the corresponding author of the study, which was published today in the journal Environmental Health. "

Healthy Homes, Healthy Families: A Guide to Protecting your Family's Health By Making Your Home A Safer Environment

6/10/14

The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP) and the Rochester Healthy Homes Partnership are pleased to announce the publication of the newly revised "Healthy Homes, Healthy Families: A Guide to Protecting your Family's Health By Making Your Home A Safer Environment." The full-color 32-page booklet includes practical tips for reducing environmental hazards in your home and regional information from organizations that offer resources to improve home health.

Available in English and Spanish, the "Healthy Homes, Healthy Families" guide covers ways to reduce asthma triggers, improve indoor air quality, reduce lead paint poisoning hazards, as well as reducing general home hazards including safe water temperatures, safe sleeping practices for babies, household chemicals, pesticides and poisons. The guide also provides information about summer meal programs and regional farmers markets, legal and financial information, and national and state healthy housing resources.

Meditation

Mindful yoga can reduce risky behaviors in troubled youth

1/5/18

NASAT reports that "For some young people, dealing with life stressors like exposure to violence and family disruption often means turning to negative, risky behaviors -- yet little is known about what can intervene to stop this cycle. But one long-term study by the University of Cincinnati looks at the link between stressful life events and an increase in substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors and delinquency in a diverse population of 18- to 24-year-old youths. The research also sheds light on distinct coping strategies that can lead to more positive outcomes. As part of a 10-year study looking at risk-taking and decision-making -- or the lack thereof -- Jacinda Dariotis, UC public health researcher, spent 12 months focusing on early life stressors as a predictor of risky sexual behavior, substance abuse and delinquency for more than 125 at-risk youths. Surprisingly, she found a small number of the youths were already engaging in constructive coping behaviors on their own that will have positive outcomes later in life."

Women benefit from meditation more than men

4/29/17

Medscape reports that "Mindfulness meditation, a commonly used treatment for a broad spectrum of mental health disorders, shows significantly greater effects in reducing negative thinking patterns in women than men, new research shows. A study conducted by investigators at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, found that women experienced significantly greater decreases in negative affect compared to their male counterparts."

NIH: Meditation in Depth

How meditation changes the Brain and Body

2/9/17

From the NY Times "The benefits of mindfulness meditation, increasingly popular in recent years, are supposed to be many: reduced stress and risk for various diseases, improved well-being, a rewired brain. But the experimental bases to support these claims have been few. Supporters of the practice have relied on very small samples of unrepresentative subjects, like isolated Buddhist monks who spend hours meditating every day, or on studies that generally were not randomized and did not include placebo­ control groups."

Music and Meditation May Slow Cognitive Decline

2/1/17

Medscape reports that "Practicing simple meditation or listening to music may help reverse early memory loss in adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), according to the results of a pilot study. SCD, in which people feel that their memory is becoming impaired, may be a harbinger of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers, led by Kim E. Innes, PhD, from West Virginia University, Morgantown, write an article published online January 18 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease."

Mindfullness Meditation offers relief for low-back pain

3/27/16

"Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may prove more effective than usual treatment in alleviating chronic low-back pain, according to a new study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health."

Meditation helps with sleep disturbance and cuts fatigue

2/23/15

Medscape reports that "Older adults who follow a mindful meditation program have improved sleep quality as well as less daytime fatigue and depression compared with their counterparts who take part in a sleep hygiene education (SHE) program, new research shows."

Mindfulness Training may help Focus Attention

1/25/14

Mindfulness training may help college students tame a wandering mind, new research hints. University of Miami students
who participated in brief mindfulness training (MT) during an academic semester said they felt more "on task" after the
training period – a feeling backed up by an objective test of mind wandering.

Mindfulness Meditation may ease Depression, Anxiety, Pain

1/10/14

A new systematic review and meta-analysis, shows that meditation may provide small to moderate improvement in negative
aspects of psychological stress, including anxiety, depression, and even pain in some individuals. As reported by Medscape "In this study the
investigators reviewed 47 randomized clinical trials that included a total of 3515 participants. Most of the trials
ranged from 3 weeks to 5.4 years in length, although most of them were short term. The 2 types of meditation in the
trials were mantra meditation and mindfulness meditation. The research showed low evidence of no effect or insufficient
evidence of any effect on psychological stress and well-being outcomes for mantra meditation programs. Mindfulness
meditation programs, on the other hand, showed moderate evidence of improved anxiety.
In addition, mindfulness meditation improved depression and also pain. The researchers also found that mindfulness
meditation showed "low evidence" of improving stress, distress, and mental health–related quality of life, as well as low
evidence of no effect or insufficient evidence of an effect on positive mood, attention, sleep, and weight."

Mediterranean Diet

DASH Diet Linked to Lower Risk for Depression

4/2/18

Medscape reports that "A diet previously shown to reduce hypertension and stroke risk may also help ward off depression, new research suggests. Participants who most closely adhered to the low-sodium Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet were 11% less likely to become depressed over time than those least adherent to the diet, the study found."

Change in Diet Can Lower Mortality Risk

7/13/17

Medscape reports that "It may never be too late to improve your health by changing your diet, a new study suggests. Health professionals who began eating more healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish were able to significantly lower their risk for death in as few as 8 years, according to Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, PhD, a research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and colleagues."

Olive Oil Key Ingredient in Alzheimer's Prevention?

7/3/17

Medscape reports that "Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) appears to protect memory and learning ability and reduces the formation of beta amyloid (Aß) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain — the classic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) — new animal research shows. The study, conducted by investigators at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suggests that it is the olive oil component of the Mediterranean diet that likely promotes healthy brain aging."

Lower Adherence to a mediterranean Diet Linked to ADHD

2/11/17

Medscape reports that "A new cross-sectional study shows a higher risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children and adolescents who are less adherent to a Mediterranean diet than those who are more adherent to the diet. "Previous studies done in other countries showed that low-quality diets are persistently associated with a higher risk of ADHD [but] no studies had been done regarding the Mediterranean diet and ADHD," senior author Maria Izquierdo-Pulido, PharmD, PhD, University of Barcelona, Spain, told Medscape Medical News."

Prescribing a Diet to Treat Depression

2/7/17

Medscape reports that "Two researchers, Felice Jacka and Michael Berk, led a consortium of Australian Institutions based at the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. Over 3 years, they recruited several hundred patients with moderate to severe depression and entered 67 into a 12-week parallel group trial. The treatment group received seven 60-minute sessions of dietary counselling. The parallel control group received a matching social support protocol. All but nine of the 67 participants were receiving another active treatment—either psychotherapy, medications, or both."

Mediterranean-Style Diet Linked to Higher Total Brain Volume

1/9/17

Medscape reports that "More research is suggesting that adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) may be protective for the aging brain. In a cohort of more than 400 individuals from Scotland who were in their 70s, those who were low consumers of the MeDi had significantly lower total brain volume over a 3-year period than those who regularly adhered to this type of diet. Interestingly, an increased consumption of fish or lower consumption of red meat did not drive this finding, "suggesting that other components of the MeDi or, possibly, all of its components in combination are responsible for the association," write the investigators."

Diet, Exercise can affect the brain at a the molecular level and reduce amyloid buildup

8/20/16

Medscape reports that "Modifiable risk factors, such as exercise and consuming a Mediterranean-style diet (MedDiet), can reduce amyloid plaque in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), lowering their risk for conversion to Alzheimer's disease, suggests new imaging research. The small study of 44 participants with MCI or subjective memory impairment (SMI) showed that those with a higher adherence to a MedDiet had significantly lower positron emission tomography (PET) measures of amyloid plaques and tau tangles than those with a lower adherence."

Mediterranean Diet linked to larger brain volume

10/26/15

Medscape reports that "A new study provides more evidence that following a Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi) is good for the brain. In a multiethnic cohort of elderly dementia-free adults, those more adherent to the MeDi had larger brain volume than their less adherent peers. And the difference between the groups is equal to about 5 years of aging. "Our study adds to the existing literature showing that Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet," Yian Gu, PhD, from Columbia University in New York City, and member of the American Academy of Neurology, told Medscape Medical News."

Mediterranean Diet may protect against Breast Cancer

9/20/15

Medscape reports that "A Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) appears to protect against more than just cardiovascular disease — it might also prevent breast cancer, according to results from the randomized controlled Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED) trial. The diet is characterized by an abundance of plant foods, fish, and olive oil, and has been repeatedly shown to be cardioprotective in major clinical trials. The PREDIMED study — conducted from 2003 to 2009 — is one of those trials. It was stopped early because of the cardiovascular benefit seen with a MeDiet, compared with a low-fat diet. The researchers now report on breast cancer incidence — a secondary outcome. And the news is promising. "The results of the PREDIMED trial suggest a beneficial effect of a MeDiet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil in the primary prevention of breast cancer," write the study authors, led by Miguel Á. Martínez-González, MD, from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid."

Mediterranean Diet with Nuts, Olive Oil linked to better Cognition

5/14/15

Medscape reports that "Adding nuts and olive oil to a Mediterranean diet could protect cognitive function in older adults, new research suggests. The study showed that adding nuts to the Mediterranean diet boosted measures of memory, while supplementing the diet with extra-virgin olive oil improved global and frontal cognition. The results suggest that nutritional interventions to protect brain function should be started "at the preclinical stage, before any impairment," even in older adults, said study author Emilio Ros, MD, PhD, consultant, Endocrinology Department, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain."

Mediterranean Diet Linked to Larger Brain Volume in Elderly

5/2/15

Medscape reports that "Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) may prevent brain atrophy in old age, new research suggests. A large cross-sectional study by investigators at Columbia University in New York linked adherence to the MeDI to larger brain volume in an elderly population, suggesting this type of diet has the potential to prevent brain atrophy and, by extension, preserve cognition in the elderly. "Our study suggests that adhering to MeDi may prevent cognitive decline or AD [Alzheimer's disease] by maintaining the brain structure or delaying aging-related atrophy," said study investigator Yian Gu, PhD.".

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Delays Cognitive Decline in Elderly

Mediterranean Diet May Improve Cognitive Function

4/29/10

A new study finds that older adults eating a Mediterranean diet (a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish, and moderate amounts of wine) appear to have less mental decline with age. Overall the study participants who most closely followed the diet knocked two years off their test scores, so that a 65 year old scored in the typical range for a 63-year-old. The study also found that even individuals who came close to following the diet had benefits, so that strict adherence to the diet was not necessary to receive benefit.

Nutrition

Adolescents Who Consume Diet High in Saturated Fats May Develop Poor Stress Skills

7/7/18

"A new study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity shows that adolescent rats who consume a diet high in saturated fats have a harder time coping with stress as adults. Moreover, researchers from Loma Linda University in California found that the areas of the brain that handle the fear/stress response were altered to the point that subjects began exhibiting behaviors that mirror post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "The teen years are a very critical time for brain maturation, including how well (or not) we'll cope with stress as adults," said Dr. Johnny Figueroa, Assistant Professor, Division of Physiology, Department of Basic Sciences and Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine. "The findings of our research support that the lifestyle decisions made during adolescence -- even those as simple as your diet -- can make a big difference in our ability to overcome every day challenges." "

Diet for ADHD

7/1/18

Following a diet for ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) can help minimize symptoms and promote healthy brain function. Unfortunately, many individuals are unaware of the role food and proper diet plays when it comes to their ADHD.

Healthy Eating Linked to Kids' Happiness

1/6/18

NASAT reports that "Healthy eating is associated with better self-esteem and fewer emotional and peer problems, such as having fewer friends or being picked on or bullied, in children regardless of body weight, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Inversely, better self-esteem is associated with better adherence to healthy eating guidelines, according to researchers from The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Dr. Louise Arvidsson, the corresponding author said: "We found that in young children aged two to nine years there is an association between adherence to healthy dietary guidelines and better psychological well-being, which includes fewer emotional problems, better relationships with other children and higher self-esteem, two years later. Our findings suggest that a healthy diet can improve well-being in children."

Leafy Greens Good for the Eyes Also Boost Kids' Brain Function

7/4/17

Medscape reports that "Higher levels of retinal carotenoids are associated with superior academic achievement and increased efficiency in performing cognitive tasks, new research shows. A team of investigators led by Naiman Khan, PhD, RD, professor of kinesiology and community health, together with Anne Walk, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, both of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, conducted two studies that used macular pigment optical density (MPOD) to measure concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are retinal carotenoids in the eyes."

Food as a way to treat mental health

Food insecurity in early childhood linked to young children's skills in kindergarten

4/2/17

NASAT reports that "In the United States, estimates show that a substantial number of children under age 5 live in households that are food insecure. That means that they do not have food, or they lack sufficient quantity or quality of food to fuel a healthy and active lifestyle. A new study has found that children who experience food insecurity in early childhood are more likely to start kindergarten less ready to learn than their peers from homes that are food secure. The findings come from researchers at Georgetown University and the University of Virginia. They are published in the journal Child Development"

Fruit, Veg Consumption May Lower Psychological Stress

3/29/17

Medscape reports that "Consumption of fruits and vegetables, either separately or combined, is linked to a lower prevalence of psychological stress primarily in women, results of a large longitudinal study suggest. "Our study, which is based on a large sample of more than 60,000 Australians, adds to the limited evidence base for a longitudinal association between mental well-being and fruit and vegetable intake. Our study is also novel in that it compares findings in men and women," first author Binh Nguyen, a PhD candidate and research officer in the Prevention Research Collaboration at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, in Australia, told Medscape Medical News."

What's in a School lunch and Who's Eating it

2/28/16

Justin Murphy, Democrat and Chronicle, staff writer reports that " No one could say the Greece Athena High School cafeteria was lacking creative and healthy options this day. Yet a quick survey of the cafeteria showed more brown bags than meal trays. h “I’ve got to be honest, I just find it very gross,” 12th-grader Jake McDermott said of the school offerings. “It’s just mass-produced frozen stuff.” h Some of his classmates listed a few entrées they do like: for instance, the turkey paninis and the buffalo chicken pizza. But most said they either brought food from home or skipped lunch altogether. Tyler Graves stood up for the cafeteria food, but even his review wouldn’t play well on Yelp. “At the end of the day, it’s cheap food and it serves its purpose,” he said. “It’s not terrible.”"

See LUNCH, Page 16A Percentage free and reduced-price among all lunches in Monroe County suburban districts. By the numbers 1.2M the drop in lunches served (16%) in Monroe County’s suburban school districts from 2010-11 to 2014-15 46.4% of school lunches that were free or reduced-price in 2014-15, up from 37.7 in 2011-12 $2.59 average lunch cost in 2015-16, up 38 cents from 2010-11.

Children who eat Breakfast daily at lower risk for Type 2 Diabetes

9/7/14

Medscape reports that "Nine and 10-year-olds who ate breakfast daily, particularly a high-fiber cereal, had lower fasting blood sugar and insulin levels and fewer other risk
factors for type 2 diabetes, according to a new study from England."

Prenatal use of Folate leads to fewer Autistic traits

8/30/14

Medscape reports that "A new study confirms that children of women who take prenatal folic acid supplements have fewer autistic traits. But the link isn't explained by maternal
folate concentrations, at least not at 13 weeks of gestational age." The researchers "measured folate concentrations in nearly 5,600 mothers for their study, online July 31 in the
European Journal of Public Health. The team also surveyed the women about their folic acid supplement use. Later, when their children were
an average of six years old, the researchers were able to follow up with 3900 mothers to ask them to assess their children's autistic
traits. The mothers scored their children according to the Social Responsiveness Scale and a subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist. They
found that women who started using folic acid supplements before conception, within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy or after the first 10 weeks
all had children with lower scores on the autistic traits scales than those who did not report taking the supplements."

Eat, Play, Grow

3/29/14

A fun and family friendly page from the Check out these resources from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to help
families and communities better understand nutrition and the important role healthy eating plays in maintaining a
healthy weight.

A Mother's Depression, Poor Diet affect Children's Cognitive Function

2/17/14

Depression during pregnancy may contribute to poor eating habits among women, this then can have a negative impact on
their child's cognitive function later in life, new research suggests. Investigators at King's College London in the
United Kingdom found that women who had symptoms of depression during pregnancy were more likely to have unhealthy
diets and that the children of these mothers had lower scores on tests for cognitive functioning at age 8 years. The
researcher's studied 6979 mother-child pairs participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
(ALSPAC) in the United Kingdom. Maternal symptoms of depression were assessed 5 times between 18 weeks' gestation
and when the child was 33 months old. The women completed a food questionnaire to assess their eating habits at 32
weeks' gestation and again when their child was 47 months old. The children's cognitive function was assessed at
age 8 years. The researchers defined a healthy diet as one with nutrient-rich foods, with limited intake of salt,
solid fats, and added sugar. An unhealthy diet was defined as being high in saturated fat, trans fat, salt, and
added sugar.

Multivitamin Use Linked to Lowered Cancer Risk

11/2/12

Daily multivitamin use has been found to lower the risk of cancer. The NY Times reports that "After a series of
conflicting reports about whether vitamin pills can stave off chronic disease, researchers announced on Wednesday
that a large clinical trial of nearly 15,000 older male doctors followed for more than a decade found that those
taking a daily multivitamin experienced 8 percent fewer cancers than the subjects taking dummy pills."

Diet and Mood connected

10/18/11

Two new studies have shown a connection between diet and better mental health.

Medscape reports that in the first study based on work with Australian adolescents that the authors "found individuals with
better quality diets were less likely to be depressed, whereas a higher intake of processed and unhealthy
foods was associated with increased anxiety," the researchers write that the researchers found "that
better diet quality was associated with better mental health in adolescents cross-sectionally and over time."

The researcher's found that it might be possible to prevent depression by having adolescents eat diets
that have sufficient nutrition. A healthy diet in this study was defined in this study as
"one that included fruit and vegetables as "core food groups" and included both 2 or more servings of fruit per day
and 4 or more servings of vegetables, as well as general avoidance of processed
foods including chips, fried foods, chocolate, sweets, and ice cream." In the longitudinal study,
adolescents who followed this diet over time showed improvements in their mental health. Adolescents who
ate a poor diet showed worsening in their mental health over time.

In the second study, the same authors looked at Norwegian adult men and women. In this study
Medscape reports that the authors found that "individuals with better quality diets were less likely to be depressed,
whereas a higher intake of processed and unhealthy foods was associated with increased anxiety."

Omega 3s

Weekly Fish Consumption by Children Linked to Better Sleep, Higher IQ

1/7/18

NASAT reports that "Children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are 4 points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all, according to new findings from the University of Pennsylvania published this week in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal. Previous studies showed a relationship between omega-3s, the fatty acids in many types of fish, and improved intelligence, as well as omega-3s and better sleep. But they've never all been connected before. This work, conducted by Jianghong Liu, Jennifer Pinto-Martin and Alexandra Hanlon of the School of Nursing and Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Adrian Raine, reveals sleep as a possible mediating pathway, the potential missing link between fish and intelligence."

Fish-rich diet may significantly reduce depression risk

9/16/15

Medscape reports that "Eating fish may protect against depression, a new meta-analysis suggests. "Fish is rich in multiple beneficial nutrients, including n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. Furthermore, fish have been hypothesized to protect against chronic diseases generally, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Therefore, we suggest people should eat more fish," first author Fang Li, from the Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Medical College of Qingdao University, in China, told Medscape Medical News."

Fatty Fish May Boost Antidepressant Response

10/24/14

Medscape reports that "Alterations in fatty acid (FA) metabolism and the way it is regulated by cortisol may be linked to response to antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In addition, increasing fatty fish intake may "boost" treatment response, new research suggests."

Omega-3 Fatty Acid linked to Brain Volume

1/27/14

Total normal brain and hippocampus volumes were directly associated with levels of omega-3 fatty acids in a study of
more than 1000 postmenopausal women. The study, published online in Neurology on January 22, was conducted by a team
led by James Pottala, PhD, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls. Medscape reports that "These results are consistent
with the idea that higher omega-3 levels may slow the loss of brain volume that occurs as we age," senior author, William
Harris, PhD, also from the University of South Dakota, told Medscape Medical News.

New Study shows the Omega 3s are effective in treating the symptoms of ADHD

10/16/12

A new study in Nutrition suggests that high intake of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA helps improve the condition
of ADHD. More specifically the researchers found increased intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was associated with improved
word reading and better behaviors.

New Meta-analysis shows Omega 3s effective in treatment of ADHD

Study links low Omega 3 levels to suicide risk among U.S. military personnel

8/29/11

A new study in the military matched 800 members of the military who had committed suicide with 800 service members who had not. The study found that
those with the lowest DHA levels had the highest rate of suicide. The study also found overall low levels of Omega 3s among all participants
DHA is the major Omega 3 fatty acid concentrated in the brain.

Omega 3s slow macular degeneration in older eyes

3/15/11

New research finds that older individuals who eat fish on a regular basis had less macular degeneration that other older individuals who
did not. Specifically the researchers found that "The women who ate more tuna and dark-meat fish, like salmon and sardines, had 38 percent
less risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Darker, oilier fish have more of the long-chain omega-3s DHA and EPA, which
have been associated with reduced inflammation. Inflammation is probably part of the disease process for macular degeneration,
which destroys the central part of the retina crucial for vision."

Organic Foods

NPR: Is Organic More Nutritious? New Study Adds To The Evidence

2/23/16

NPR reports that a recent study found that "The study finds that organic dairy and meat contain about 50 percent more omega-3 fatty acids. The increase is the result of animals foraging on grasses rich in omega-3s, which then end up in dairy and meats. The findings are based on data pooled from more than 200 studies, and research in the U.S. has pointed to similar benefits."

Phthalates Linked to Testosterone Reductions in Both Genders

8/20/14

Medscape reports that "Increased urinary levels of endocrine-disrupting phthalates, found in flexible plastic and some personal-care products,
are associated with significant declines in testosterone levels not just in men, but in women and children as well, according to research published
online August 14 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. "We found associations between markers of phthalate exposure and
testosterone levels among multiple age groups and in both sexes, including children — 6- to 12-year-old boys and girls, and girls ages 12 to
20," lead author John D. Meeker, ScD, CIH, told Medscape Medical News.

Avoid BPA

3/30/11

A new research study finds that families can avoid the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) by giving up on canned foods
and food and beverages prepared and packaged using plastic containers. In this study families who changed their diet avoided the above foods
and ate more freshly prepared, organic foods. The researchers found a 60% drop in BPA in three days.

Pregnancy

Pregnant moms and their offspring should limit added sugars in their diets to protect childhood cognition

5/10/18

NASAT reports that "A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has determined that poorer childhood cognition occurred, particularly in memory and learning, when pregnant women or their offspring consumed greater quantities of sugar. Substituting diet soda for sugar-sweetened versions during pregnancy also appeared to have negative effects. However, children's fruit consumption had beneficial effects and was associated with higher cognitive scores. Research is increasingly focusing on the adverse impact of sugar consumption on health, especially high-fructose corn syrup. Sugar consumption among Americans is above recommended limits, and the Current Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize the importance of reducing calories from added sugars. They are incorporated into foods and beverages during preparation or processing, with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) being the greatest contributor in Americans' diets"

Low-Carb Diets Boost Risk for Serious Birth Defects

3/9/18

HealthyDay reports that "Following a low-carbohydrate diet during pregnancy may increase a woman's risk of having a baby with serious birth defects, a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests. Compared with pregnant women who didn't restrict their carbohydrate intake, those on a diet that reduced or eliminated carbs were 30 percent more likely to have babies with neural tube defects. Those include spina bifida (spine and spinal cord malformations) and anencephaly (missing parts of the brain and skull). These birth defects can cause death or lifelong disability, the study authors said. "We already know that maternal diet before and during early pregnancy plays a significant role in fetal development. What is new about this study is its suggestion that low carbohydrate intake could increase the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect by 30 percent," study leader Tania Desrosiers said in a university news release. "

NIH reports that "Children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank at least one artificially sweetened beverage per day during pregnancy were more likely to be overweight or obese at age 7, compared to children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank water instead of artificially sweetened beverages, according to a study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. Childhood obesity is known to increase the risk for certain health problems later in life, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. The study appears online in the International Journal of Epidemiology. "

Dietary Supplement Kit may head off Postpartum blues

3/14/17

Medscape reports that "A dietary supplement kit containing tryptophan, tyrosine, and blueberry juice/extract appears to markedly reduce vulnerability to postpartum blues (PPB), a new open-label study suggests. "The supplement taken on days 3 to 5 post partum had a very strong effect on preventing sad mood in postpartum," Dr Jeffrey Meyer, head of the neuroimaging program in mood and anxiety at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, Canada, told Medscape Medical News."

1 in 9 new mothers suffer from Postpartum Depression

2/21/17

Medscape reports that "Approximately one in nine women in the United States experience depressive symptoms after giving birth, according to a surveillance analysis published in the February 17, 2017 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. However, the proportion of mothers who experience postpartum depression has recently declined in some states. The overall prevalence of self-reported postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) was 11.5% in 2012 for the 27 states included in the current analysis. Individual states showed wide variation, however, ranging from a low of 8.0% in Georgia to a high of 20.1% in Arkansas, according to data from the CDC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System."

Is licorice intake during pregnancy linked to ADHD in offspring?

2/17/17

NASAT reports that "There is an abundance of foods that should be avoided during pregnancy, and a new study suggests that licorice should sit firmly in this category. Researchers have found that children born to mothers who consume large amounts of licorice during pregnancy may be more likely to develop behaviors associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Study co-author Katri Räikkönen, from the University of Helsinki in Finland, and colleagues hypothesize that glycyrrhizin (the active ingredient in licorice) may interfere with fetal neurodevelopment by increasing levels of "the stress hormone" cortisol. The researchers recently reported their findings in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Though licorice is often hailed for its medicinal benefits - such as the alleviation of peptic ulcers and canker sores - studies have indicated that the plant-derived product has some downsides."

Flu in Pregnancy May Quadruple Child’s Risk for Bipolar Disorder

5/29/13

Pregnant mothers’ exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.
“Prospective mothers should take common sense preventive measures, such as getting flu shots prior to and in the early stages of pregnancy and avoiding contact with people who are symptomatic,” said Alan Brown, M.D., M.P.H, of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, a grantee of the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “In spite of public health recommendations, only a relatively small fraction of such women get immunized. The weight of evidence now suggests that benefits of the vaccine likely outweigh any possible risk to the mother or newborn.”

Perinatal Antidepressant Stunts Brain Development in Rats

Preschool

High-quality preschool program produces long-term economic payoff

3/8/11

An early education program for children from low-income families is estimated to generate $4 to $11 of economic benefits over a
child's lifetime for every dollar spent initially on the program, according to a cost-benefit analysis funded by the National
Institutes of Health. In the study, the researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the Chicago Public Schools federally funded
Child-Parent Centers, The Child-Parent centers were staffed by certified teachers, and offered instruction in reading and math, as
well as educational field trips. The centers provided meals and health screening for children ages 3 through 9, and
they also provided skills training for parents. The researchers found that the economic benefits included increased earning power,
once the children become adults. Benefits also included reduced costs to society, for example less special education and less
interaction with the judicial system.

Puberty

Early Puberty in Girls Raises the Risk of Depression

6/21/16

The NY Times reports that "When girls come in for their physical exams, one of the questions I routinely ask is “Do you get your period?” I try to ask before I expect the answer to be yes, so that if a girl doesn’t seem to know about the changes of puberty that lie ahead, I can encourage her to talk about them with her mother, and offer to help answer questions. And I often point out that even those who have not yet embarked on puberty themselves are likely to have classmates who are going through these changes, so, again, it’s important to let kids know that their questions are welcome, and will be answered accurately."

Boys Now Enter Puberty Younger, Study Suggests, but It’s Unclear Why

10/20/12

A new study echoing research on girls, shows that on average American boys are beginning puberty earlier than in the past.
On average, the study found that black boys in the study showed signs of puberty, primarily identified as growth of the
testicles, at a little older than 9, while white and Hispanic boys were a little older than 10. This compares with the
the fact that historically boys have started puberty at 11 ½ years of age.

Sleep

The Importance of Sleep for Teen Mental Health

1/18/18

NASAT reports that "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 41 million Americans get six or fewer hours of sleep per night. For teens, it's even worse. For most adolescents, nine hours of sleep is ideal. Unfortunately, very few are actually managing that. In fact, surveys show that less than 9 percent of teens get enough sleep. And the amount of rest they get decreases as they progress through high school. In fact, Cornell University psychologist James B. Maas, PhD, a leading sleep expert, goes so far as to call American teenagers "walking zombies" because they live on so little sleep. What's preventing teens from getting the rest they need? An array of factors, including technology use, caffeine intake, heavy homework loads, extracurricular activities and schools with early start times. Plus, adolescents experience a shift in their internal biological clocks post-puberty; their circadian rhythms naturally keep them up later at night."

New Study Shows Melatonin Effective Sleep Aid for Children with Autism

1/18/18

NASAT reports that "A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry disclosed that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have refractory insomnia will benefit from prolonged release melatonin (PEDPRM). The trial conducted was random, placebo-controlled, and double-blind. There were 125 participants in the trial aged 2 to 17.5 years. These were patients whose insomnia continued even after behavioral intervention. Such children were administered with 2 mg of PEDPRM once daily; the dosage was increased to 5 mg or placebo for the succeeding thirteen weeks. Trial participants included children who were diagnosed by physicians of ASD regardless whether or not they had attention deficit and hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and other neurogenetic disorders. The common factor among all participants was sleep issues."

Chronic Sleep Disturbances May Trigger ADHD Symptoms, Not Vice Versa

10/19/17

NASAT reports that "A new theory hypothesizes that ADHD symptoms may be caused by a lack of regular circadian sleep, positing that attention and sleep troubles may be "two sides of the same physiological and mental coin" - not just two sometimes-overlapping conditions. The theory was presented by Professor Sandra Kooij at the 30th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress, held in early September in Paris, France. There, Kooji outlined extensive research linking ADHD to sleep problems, and offered new evidence that distorted circadian rhythms and ADHD symptoms may be interrelated for many people with the disorder. "There is extensive research showing that people with ADHD also tend to exhibit sleep problems," Kooij said. "What we are doing here is taking this association to the next logical step: pulling all the work together that leads us to say that, based on existing evidence, it looks very much like ADHD and circadian problems are intertwined in the majority of patients.""

Even mildly insufficient sleep associated with increased risk for depresion and anxiety symptoms

4/27/17

Medscape reports that "Although past research has shown a link between severe sleep dysfunction and psychological symptoms, new research suggests that even mildly insufficient sleep duration can have an adverse effect. Examining data from a nationwide telephone survey of more than 20,000 adult participants, the investigators found that each hour of additional sleep was significantly linked to a decreased risk for symptoms of depression, hopelessness, nervousness, and feeling restless or fidgety."

Untreated sleep apnea in children can harm brain cells tied to cognition and mood

4/2/17

NASAT reports that "A study comparing children between 7 and 11 years of age who have moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea to children the same age who slept normally, found significant reductions of gray matter -- brain cells involved in movement, memory, emotions, speech, perception, decision making and self-control -- in several regions of the brains of children with sleep apnea. The finding points to a strong connection between this common sleep disturbance, which affects up to five percent of all children, and the loss of neurons or delayed neuronal growth in the developing brain. This extensive reduction of gray matter in children with a treatable disorder provides one more reason for parents of children with symptoms of sleep apnea to consider early detection and therapy"

Poor sleep in early childhood may lead to cognitive, behavioral problems in later years

2/14/17

NASAT reports that "A study led by a Massachusetts General Hospital pediatrician finds that children ages 3 to 7 who don't get enough sleep are more likely to have problems with attention, emotional control and peer relationships in mid-childhood. Reported online in the journal Academic Pediatrics, the study found significant differences in the responses of parents and teachers to surveys regarding executive function -- which includes attention, working memory, reasoning and problem solving -- and behavioral problems in 7-year-old children depending on how much sleep they regularly received at younger ages. "We found that children who get an insufficient amount of sleep in their preschool and early school-age years have a higher risk of poor neurobehavioral function at around age 7," says Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, chief of General Pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children , who led the study. "The associations between insufficient sleep and poorer functioning persisted even after adjusting for several factors that could influence the relationship.""

How Sleep resets the brain

2/14/17

The NIMH reports that "People spend about a third of their lives asleep. When we get too little shut-eye, it takes a toll on attention, learning and memory, not to mention our physical health. Virtually all animals with complex brains seem to have this same need for sleep. But exactly what is it about sleep that’s so essential?"

Sleep Deprived Children are more tempted by Food

8/31/15

Children who don't get enough sleep might be more tempted by food, a new study suggests. Five-year-olds who slept less than 11 hours a night were more eager to eat at the sight or reminder of a favorite snack, compared to those who slept longer, researchers reported August 11 in the International Journal of Obesity.

What happens in the brain when we Sleep

Teenagers increasingly sleep-deprived

2/23/15

Medscape reports that "US adolescents became progressively more sleep-deprived after 1990, researchers report in an article published online February 16 in Pediatrics. Girls were more likely to be affected than boys, as were racial/ethnic minorities, city dwellers, and those from poor families. Teenagers from racial/ethnic minorities and from poor families were likely to think they were getting enough sleep even when they were not. Katherine M. Keyes, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, and colleagues analyzed data from 1991 through 2012 on 272,077 adolescents from Monitoring the Future, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of adolescent birth cohorts. Participants were asked how often they got at least 7 hours of sleep per night, and how often they got less sleep than they should. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 9 hours of sleep per night for adolescents.".

Young adults who exercise strenuously before night get better sleep

7/5/14

Young adults who exercised vigorously before bed ended up getting better sleep than their peers who reported less strenuous evening activity, a new study
found. The results, based on sleep patterns during a single night, go against the usual advice to avoid being too active before bed.

Nighttime light may alter circadian rhythm and lead to Obesity

TV Time linked to less sleep for kids

3/16/14

A new study from Spain shows the children who watch more daily TV get less sleep then their peers who watch less. The study found
that 9 year olds who watched 5 hours of TV a day, for example, slept on average one hour less a night than nine year olds who only
watched less than an hour and a half of TV a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that the average child spends 8 hours
a day in front of a screen.

Study shows kids who unplug sleep better than kids who are plugged in

1/29/14

Medscape reports that "Kids who regularly plugged into social networking sites before bedtime reported sleeping nearly
an hour less on school nights than those who rarely connected online, a new study shows. "Using technology in the bedroom
may result in sleep loss, delays in initiating sleep, daytime sleepiness and more," the study's lead author, Teresa Arora,
told Reuters Health in an email. "In turn, this may affect daytime performance, particularly at school," Arora, from
Weill Cornell Medical College in Doha, Qatar, said. The researchers found kids ages 11 to 13 slept significantly less
when they frequently communicated on a cell phone, surfed the Internet, played video games, watched television, listened
to music and even if they used a computer to study before going to bed. Social networking was associated with the
biggest loss of sleep. Those who said they usually connected to friends online before getting into bed reported sleeping
the least - an average of 8 hours and 10 minutes a night - compared with 9 hours and 2 minutes among those who never
connected.

Sleep deprived teens struggle with behavior and emotions

12/3/13

Another study again shows the importance of sleep and teens learning and emotions. Generally teens are recommended to receive 9 hours
a night of sleep. Research shows that one quarter of adolescents go to bed after 11:30 on school nights, according to a new U.S. study,
which also finds those kids tend to perform worse in school and to have greater emotional distress than peers who go to bed earlier. Medscape
reports that "If teens' sleep patterns are in conflict with their natural circadian rhythms, then that also has
repercussions on cognitive function and emotional regulation as well as potential health consequences," said Dr. Judith Owens, director
of Sleep Medicine at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, who was not involved in the study."

New Research shows media in the bedroom disrupts sleep in boys, particularly boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders

12/2/13

Sleep in important. Past research has shown that having screens in bedrooms lead to less sleep. This maybe because the light from the screens
disrupt the light sensitive hormone system that helps us fall asleep, or because we are doing other things (playing video games, watching TV, etc...) that
keep us awake. This new research compared boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), or with ADHD, with normal peers. The research showed that
In all 3 groups, bedroom access to media was associated with less time spent sleeping each night. Boys with a computer in their room got 7.9 hours of sleep
nightly compared with 8.7 hours for boys who did not have a computer. Boys with an in-room video game system got 8.3 hours of
shuteye nightly on average compared with 8.8 for boys without a video game system in their room. The research also showed that of the 3 groups
the boys with ASD got the least amount of sleep in each condition compared with the boys with ADHD and the normal controls.

New Research shows how sleep can help clean the brain

11/25/13

While we all know that sleep is important, new research from the University of Rochester suggests that sleep actually helps clean out
the brain. Dr. Maiken Nedergaard and her colleagues at the U of R Medical Center recently discovered a system that drains waste
products from the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid, a clear liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, moves through the brain along a
series of channels that surround blood vessels. The system is managed by the brain’s glial cells, and so the researchers called it the
glymphatic system. The researchers found that this system is much more active when mouse sleep.

Early Sleep problems may be predictive of later need for Special Education

9/9/12

A new study from England has found strong support for an association between early childhood sleep problems and later Special
Education Needs on a population basis. The authors note the need for "early screening, because early treatment is often effective"
for sleep disordered breathing and behavioral sleep problems."

Tired Neurons Caught Nodding Off in Sleep-deprived Rats

9/14/11

A new study in rats is shedding light on how sleep-deprived lifestyles might impair functioning without people
realizing it. The more rats are sleep-deprived, the more some of their neurons take catnaps - with consequent
declines in task performance. Even though the animals are awake and active, brainwave measures reveal that
scattered groups of neurons in the thinking part of their brain, or cortex, are briefly falling asleep,
scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have discovered.

Sleep Disorder

Sleep Disorders are a growing field. Many of my patients struggle with
sleep and while many do not have specific sleep disorders, there lack of sleep
significantly interferes with their performance and learning and worsens their
other problems. The following video from Frontline explores Adolescents and
Sleep, and how a lack of sleep seriously interferes with learning and behavior.

Health News

FDA proposes new rule on antibacterial hand soaps and body washes

12/17/13

In good news on many fronts, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposed rule to require manufacturers of antibacterial hand soaps
and body washes to demonstrate that their products are safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap
and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Under the proposal, if companies do not demonstrate
such safety and effectiveness, these products would need to be reformulated or relabeled to remain on the market.

New State Score Card on Health

Children who grow up in New England and the Upper Midwest get better health care than children in other states,
especially those who live in the South and Southwest. That’s according to a new report card that ranks all the
states based on their children’s health care policies.